Adjustable frame for ventilators and the like



C. G. MITCHELL ET AL ADJUSTABLE FRAME FOR VENTILATORS AND THE- LIKEFiled Aug. 5, 1922 Patented Jan. 2'2, i925.

UNITED STATES ma ns Parent curios.

CHARLES connon MITCHELL sun ononsn nnnnsr wnnnna, or MONTREAL, annnno,CANADA.

ADJUSTABLE FRAME FOR VENTILATORS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed August 5, 1922.

To all. whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, CHARLES Gonnon MITCHELL and GEORGE ERNns'r l innnnn, both subjects of the King of Great Britain. and

residents of the city of Montreal, in the Province of Quebec andDominion of Canada, hereby declare that we have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Adjustable Frames for Ventilators and the like,of which the following is a full, clear,

and exact description.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in adjustableframes for ventilators and the like, and the object of the invention isto provide a frame which will be adjust-able to suit any defects in thewall finish.

Another object is to provide a frame which will be easily placed intothe wall before or after the final wall finish has been applied withoutdamaging same.

it further object is to provide a frame from which the grille and boxcan be ren'ioved without interfering with or damagi ng the wall finish.

The method of installing grilles and the like at the present time istoprovide ducts in the wall for the reception of boxes. The box framesare formed of angle iron around which the sides of the boxes are bent.The grilles or gratings are then attached to the box frames by setscrews or studs, the holes for which have to be drilled on the sitewhich is an expensive and unsatisfactory method of construction.Difliculty is also found in aligning the box frames with the fare of thewall and any attempt at rem edying this condition results in interferingwith the plaster finish, or the like, of which the wall is composed. A.still further difiiculty is found in fitting the sides of the boxessquare with vertical and horizontal lines of the building.

In our invention we provide a cast frame which is set in the wall andprovided with slots for the reception of the box, and holes for the setscrews or studs which hold the grille. The box is provided with strapsextending from the sides of the box, said straps being positioned topass through slots cut in the frame. Set screws are provided to set thebox square and the straps when bent over the frame hold the box inposition. The frame is provided with a re cess to receive the end of thestraps and to Serial No. 579,893.

keep itflush with the inside of the frame, thus forming no obstructionto the passage of air through the box. The grille is provided with holeswhich coincide with the holes in the frame and isattached by screws orstuds to the frame.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view looking on the front of the adjustableframe.

Figure 2 is a perspective view looking on the back of the adjustableframe.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the device.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of the corner of the frame showing theslots, recess for straps and holes for set screws.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view, showing the construction ofthe box frame and the straps attached thereto.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the box showing straps, set screws andfixing holes.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 11 designates theadjustable frame which. is placed in the ducts cut in a wall 12. Theframe is of rectangular construction having a short leg 13 and a longleg 14. The long leg 14: is slightly tapered to form a tight fiton thebox 15 when placed in position. Slots 16 are provided in the angle ofthe frame to receive the straps 17 which are riveted or otherwisesecured to the box'15. The set screws 18 are tapped into the face of thebox and can be adjusted to suit any thickness, or variation ofthickness, of the wall. The straps 17 are bent around the corner 19 ofthe frame and fit into recesses 20 cut in the inside of the long leg ofthe frame, thus forming no obstruction to the passage of air through thebox, and also providing a means for attaching the box to the frame. Tohold the frame in position a ridge 21 is cast in the short leg of theframe to form a key in the plaster of Paris, or the like material, ofwhich the wall is constructed. The grille 22 is placed on the face ofthe frame and is held in position by bolts or set screws passing throughthe openings 23. To provide an air tight joint; between the grille andthe frame a strip of felt 24, or the like, is placed between theengaging faces of the grille and the frame. Referring to Figure 6, thisshows one modification of the constr ction of the box. In Figure 5 thebox shown is constructed of thin galvanized iron and the face 25 is bentas shown to provide thickness for attaching the set screws 18 thereto.

The method of attaching the device is as follows: Ducts are cut in thewall for the reception of the frame 11 and the box is placed around thelong leg 14 of the frame. The set screws 18 are adjusted to suit thewall thickness. The straps 17 are placed through the slots in the frame.The straps are then out to suit and bent around the cor ner of the frameand into the recesses 20. The grille is then placed in position withpacking between the frame and the grille to form an airtight joint. Aswill be seen from the foregoing description the device can be fitted tothe wall before or after the final wall finish is applied.

By adjusting the screws 18, the distance between the face of the box andthe frame may be ad usted before bending over the straps. Thisconstruction is especially adapted to facilitate theleveling up of theouter surface of the face of the frame, so that when the grid is placedin position, it will butt conveniently against the outer face of thewall, or in the case of flush constructiori grids, the outer face of thegrid will be flush with the face of the wall. In the case of the flushconstruction, the plaster may be placed onthe wall after the spacebetween the face of the box and the frame is filled with concrete or thelike. the frame against the heads of the adjusting screws and allow acertain amount of leveling up to accommodate the uneven surface of thewall.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. Ina device of the class described, frame provided with slots, :1 boxwith a flanged end, straps attached to the sides of said box and passingthrough said flanged end, and adapted to engage with the slots Thestraps hold in the frame, and adjustable screws for adjusting the box,said screws abutting with the inside face of the frame.

2. In a device of the class described, a frame with a flange, a ridgearound the said flange for keying the frame to the wall, said framehaving slots cut therein, a flanged box adapted to engage with the sidesof said frame, straps attached to said box positioned to engage withsaid frame slots, and passing through the flange of the box, said framehaving recesses in the inside thereof to receive the ends of the straps,adjustable screws in the flange of the box adapted to abut with theinside face of the frame flange, a grille, and means for attaching thegrille to the frame.

In a device of the character described. the combination of a frame and abox providedwith opposing wall-engaging portions. adjustable memberscarried by one of said wall-engaging portions and adapted to abut theother wall-engaging portions and providing a means for leveling up theouter surface of the frame with respect to the wall surface, and meansfor securing the box and frame in adjusted position.

4. In a device of the character described. the combination of a frame, abox, opposing wall engaging flanges carried by the frame and box,adjustable spacing means carried by one of said flanges and engageablewith the other flange to provide for leveling of the frame with respectto the wall surface and means for securing the box and frame in adjustedposition consisting of straps car-- ried by the box and adapted to bebent about portions of the frame In witness whereof, we have hereuntoset our hands.

CHARLES GORDON MITCHELL. GEORGE ERNEST VVEBBER.

